Eternal Thirst
by KuraiKitty
Summary: Based off of Annjirika's story, Midnight Moonlight. After venturing into Esthar, Squall Leonhart finds his father's town has been overrun by vampires. When he meets their leader, will she be his savior, or his death? (Many pairings in this story.)
1. Wings of Darkness

A/N: Yeah… I own Kingdom Hearts. Squall's in my closet, Yuffie's searching for Materia, Sora's in my backyard, and who knows what Cloud and Aeris are doing in the spare bedroom… the funny noises scare me, though. o.O Okay, not really. I don't own it, okay! None of the characters, with the exception of a few, will recognize each other through the course of the story.

An important note: This story is based off of Annjirika's story, Midnight Moonlight. It inspired me, but there are a lot more differences than you think. Thank you! Read on…

Ch. 1: Wings of Darkness

Darkness engulfed the once-lively city, drained it of its life, its energy, its former glory. Esthar stood in desolation, the once bustling city now a silent ghost town, its buildings naught but a former shell of themselves. Though it was larger than it had been only a few years ago, death seemed to make its home in the city that now engulfed the continent. It was there that the Knights had gathered, and it was there that they hunted their quarry. Transportation through the tunnels was now a walk instead of a ride, for all power was out in the ghost town. It had been attacked, they'd been told, by a mysterious… 'infection'.

Stormy blue eyes gazed out at the desolate area as the black-gloved hands pushed the man's dark brown bangs back away from his eyes. Squall sighed, his black leather jacket and similar-colored apparel almost impossible to see against the darkness of the town. As he walked, he heard the familiar, soft clinking of belt buckles tapping against each other. His father's cyberpolis was dead, and he knew it… he didn't know why he bothered coming back, considering the fact that he didn't expect to find anyone alive in this town, anyway.

Squall had just gotten lost on his way out, that was all. Needless to say, he wasn't sure why he had come in the first place… he figured that his father, Laguna, hadn't gotten out unscathed from this death-plagued city, and had probably been 'infected' or killed on sight, if he was lucky. As for Squall himself, he'd been attacked twice, and it seemed that his luck wasn't getting any better. He only had one weapon other than his gunblade with him… and knew well enough that the ones he had been ambushed by were too quick for the likes of his blade.

A flash of white was all that warned him of her approach, jumping away as she saw the pale skin and emerald eyes rapidly approaching with a mouthful of pearly white, razor sharp fangs. Sighing, he held the sterling silver cross before him, watching as the vampire hissed at the scarred teen with a sense of vile distaste and frustration. It could not touch him, so the vampiress stood before the SeeD, smoothing out her blonde hair and beginning to speak.

"I do hate food that fights back. Be a doll and drop it… or else…" Her mouth opened wide again, revealing the sharp fangs that gleamed through the night. Truth be told, it was a rather convincing threat. She leaned in close enough to the point where Squall could smell the blood on her breath and see the stains that adorned them. However, he was content as he realized how fearful the beast before him was of the cross, and suddenly thrust it out before him. The woman hissed and leapt back.

"Vile thing." She flinched slightly, the blonde vampire hissing once more as she shielded herself from it, her red nails gleaming and sharp like a cat's claws. Her green eyes, though dull with the unmistakable mark of death, seemed to have a strange swirl in it as her eyes met with his, showing nothing but emptiness, and revealing an insatiable hunger.

"Why don't you share that morsel, hm…?" A woman with shorter hair than the last emerged from the shadows of a nearby building, dressed in a blood-soaked, formerly white summoner's robe, the otherwise brilliantly ornate folds of the material reaching down to her ankles. Her hair was a dark brown, reaching almost to her shoulders, and her voice was softer and calmer than the last. She didn't appear harmful at first, but her fangs that were revealed when she spoke told otherwise. As with the last, her eyes, one blue and one green, were glazed over with the familiar insignia of death. She grasped her staff, though it was clear that she would only use it for defense. Her teeth were her real arsenal…

"…Perhaps. But remember, I found it first. Though I prefer humans…" The first one pouted and spoke once more as she scowled at the other girl with discontent, as if jealous of her. Squall's face showed confusion at her last sentence. He was definitely human… he'd lived 18 years, and knew damn well that he was what he was.

"But you do know that I'm stronger, Rikku… let me get the first bite." The former summoner hissed, her eyes glowing with anticipation as she moved forward, fangs bared and ready, only to have Rikku whine once more about how she had found her prey first. She backed off, but not without a few screeches and attempted scratches at each other's throats.

"Now, now, girls… Rikku, Yuna…" Squall paused as a familiar face showed itself to him, revealed by an overhead flickering street light. The blonde, scarred, swordsman who Squall had fought so long ago now stood before him, quelling the argument of the other two while flashing his fangs to his former rival. He still had that long trenchcoat that Squall had always seen him wear, the cross on the back still evident as he had turned around to silence the women behind him. Seifer smiled and laughed at his surprise before saying, "I think I'll have a bite… I have a score to settle with this one."

As Seifer dove for Squall, fangs bared and clawed hands ready, Squall could only shield himself futilely with his arm… he had no room to draw his gunblade, and the shock had caused him to drop the cross. However, a shrill scream of pain followed as Squall clenched his eyes shut… looking up, he saw Seifer's stunned face awash with pain as both Squall and the renegade almost-SeeD looked down at his chest. The stake that was driven through and poking out of his chest cavity rendered his body useless, causing him to yell in anger, pain, and rage as his body turned to nothing but a small, fist sized pile of black ash. Though Yuna and Rikku initially screamed out of surprise and shock, it was quickly dissipated when another figure appeared behind where the body of Seifer formerly stood.

Discontent was the general feeling all around as the new figure showed herself to the rest of them with the stake still clutched in her cold, white hand. Squall considered reaching down to grab the cross, but instead backed slowly towards a nearby building. He took in all the details of this new woman, however, with a certain amount of fear, as was demanded of these undead beasts.

Her hair was as dark as the night itself, with only a few streaks of dark brown in it to break apart the black mass. Her eyes were a cold, dark brown, her pale skin highly contrasting against these features. Her body was clothed with several things… her main outfit consisted of a black, strapless bodice, which was a rather low-riding piece that revealed quite a bit of cleavage to anyone foolish enough to get close. In the center of it was the decoration of a bat, which was cut out symmetrically and held together by the traditional corset laces. Her fishnet stockings were tight on her legs, hugging her every curve as they ran up and down her calves and thighs. For her pants, she wore a swimsuit-like bottom, which immediately went to the stockings. Her feet were embellished with pure black, leather boots, each with a three inch-high heel. Around her neck and back was a cape, whose collars stood up to hug her neck as the cape flowed behind her like large bat wings, almost as if they were ready to take flight. Her arms and shoulders were bare, and constantly exposed to the cold air… though, being dead, temperature had no effect on her flesh. Her eyes were cold and emotionless as she simply motioned to Squall, who stood before her.

"Leave. I won't help you again." Squall was stunned by her words, but did not immediately flee. He was not sure whether or not this new woman was going to bite him the moment he turned around, so, rather than risk his own life, he backed into the building behind him. The other two vampiresses smiled and shrieked with glee as they saw him enter the one-room building, cornering himself like a rat. As they approached the doorway, Squall smiled.

"I'm not going to let you in, you know." He said, keeping the small sneer on his face, all the while loading his gunblade. He knew many legends about the legions of the undead… and this one had saved his life on several occasions.

"It appears that you are smarter than you look, knight. You're not human, after all." The lead one spoke, somewhat surprised by his knowledge, but having no reaction to the duo's attempts at his neck. "How did you know that vampires can not enter a room without permission? Just how much do you know about us…?"

"Just what is a knight?" He snarled. Twice now, he'd been called something other than human. He did lighten up, though, as he spoke to her again. He feared he may have been pushing his luck, but a quick 'whatever' brushed it away from his mind. "Well… I know enough. Now I'm asking you to leave." He brandished the cross he carried before she smiled with a hint of entertainment before speaking again. Once more, her voice was devoid of any emotion; cold, soulless.

"If you do not know, then I will not tell you. I take my leave of you… but remember that I will not be so merciful next time." To Rikku and Yuna she said, "Tell the others… touch this man, and I will have you hanging on a garlic noose for all eternity." She watched as the other two shuddered, clutching their necks before taking their leave. The last thing they wanted was for their necks to erupt in painful boils and sores for all eternity… while not fatal, it certainly wasn't pleasant. As for their leader… she took for the skies, leaping into the air before seemingly disappearing into the night sky.

A/N: This is the worst chapter of the bunch, but there's a lot more to come... feel free to RR, but be nice with the flames, 'k?


	2. Wings of the Dead

Ch.2: Wings of the Dead

"…it's not human. It reeks of the Knights." A voice hissed in the darkness. Though the voice was quiet, he could not keep the disgust from his tone. The voice was deep and gravely, clearly belonging to middle-aged man.

"No matter; they all taste the same." Another female voice accompanied the first male one, her deep and silky tone addressing her age as a woman in her twenties or so.

"I haven't had a bite in some time. At least the meal's warm this time… sucking on corpses only gets you so far, hm?" A third voice cackled in the shadows, the feminine laughter telling him that she was not much older than he was, roughly around eighteen. Squall grew slightly nervous at this, but was determined to keep a straight face as he walked past them.

"You feel that?" The feminine voice said, her deeper tone silkier than the rest. "He's nervous. I love that… but fear is always the most enjoyable." Squall made sure to continue walking, approaching a large Inn that he knew was inhabited before the three shadows stopped before him, gracefully and swiftly moving before him to block his path. The first to speak was the woman, glaring at him with blood-red eyes.

"Fear… it spices up the food so nicely, yes?" The owner of the second voice, a woman, approached him quickly, and was almost face to face with the SeeD. He saw her smile with her opaque fangs, saw the purple lipstick coating her lips and the black hair that was, for the most part, up in a bun. Some of it draped in front of her face, hiding the left half of her face from Squall's view. Her dress was a black one, with the sleeves starting lower than her shoulders and extending to her hands; with the sleeves so wide, however, it simply hung from her hands a few inches towards the ground. As soon as the dress met the beginning of her thighs, it split in two. The only thing that held the partition of the black material together were a numerous amount of black leather belts. Regardless of this attempt to cover her legs, the black lace on her thigh and calf still showed through. Her eyes were a deep red, resembling the shade of blood.

"It's a spice you'll have to miss out on… this man doesn't scare that easy, it seems." A gravely voice, belonging to the first man, rang out next to the woman. He steeped out from the shadows, his large boots' steps louder and more noticeable than the last woman's heels. He seemed to be older than she was, with noticeable white streaks in his otherwise black hair. His face was slightly skuzzy, as if he hadn't shaved for a few days, and was rugged and dark overall. Only one of eyes was open, it seemed. His left arm disappeared into his crimson coat, with his arm in a sling-like position against his black shirt. Besides the wrist and hand, the rest of his arm was veiled by the fabric. The sword he carried was large, yes… but that was for intimidation, or subduing prey. He wasn't beyond fighting, though… feeding was just on the top of his priority list, that was all.

"Yeah… a shame, isn't it, Lu?" The last one said, whining slightly. Her flipped, brown hair and green eyes were the most prominent features on the former teenager's face; immortality slowed aging down to almost a nonexistent crawl, making true age among the vampires almost impossible to determine. Her slim frame was clothed in a bright yellow jumper, which extended from her shoulders to her thighs. Her face was in a constant smile, though this one was a disappointed one that still revealed her fangs.

"Indeed… so… you'll just have to make up for it with all that loss inside, now, don't you think?" Lulu's hand rested on the wooden door behind Squall, motioning him to open it. She had heard the ones inside, and it was now stirring her already ravenous thirst for blood. She smiled at the man, making sure to keep her demeanor cool and calm as if he had no choice in the matter. "It's you or them, Knight."

"Like hell I will." Squall said, his face still revealing no emotion to the vampires before him. He heard the woman's nails clicking against the frame before her eyes flashed brightly at his words. Her civil smile quickly changed to a snarl as she proceeded to grab him by the throat, the underestimation of the woman's strength proving quite painful as his head and neck hit the door behind him. Though unable to lift him much higher than a foot or two, it was enough… it would only be a few minutes before either gravity or her hand would starve him of oxygen.

"Let us in, fool!" Lulu yelled, her fangs no longer hidden and bared as she continued to try to break Squall. The SeeD was proving quite the difficult nut to crack, simply sneering at the woman below. Though he realized that this intimidation was a gamble, he knew she only had a few choices; she would either grip tighter, or reach back with one hand to strike him… if it was the latter, he could possibly break free of her cold, steel grip. He knew that she would want to keep him alive for as long as possible, for he knew that vampires couldn't enter a room if uninvited. It was torture for the three undead figures, who could hear the breath, the movements, and the pulses of future victims that lay just beyond their reach.

Unfortunately, she had done the former, grasping his throat tighter, her rage already spilling over and her patience wearing dangerously thin. A surprised and exasperated gasp escaped Squall's lips as he struggled to obtain the necessary oxygen needed to even stay conscious. A squeal from the third vampiress was all that he heard after that, the figure leaping up and down in an attempt to get Lulu's attention.

"Hey, Lu, stop that! He can't let us in if he's dead!" She said, running forward and grasping Lulu's pale arms in an attempt to loosen the other woman's grip. Lulu released her hands from his neck for less than a second, looking down at who was tugging so persistently at her arms before renewing the contact, this time with less force. Though still lethal, it would be a slower, more painful death if he didn't talk. She smiled sarcastically before rolling her eyes at Selphie, as if to say, _Fine… Look! I'm being gentle. Are you happy now?_

"Selphie… back away. Let her do what she wants." The man, Auron, said calmly, wanting to see just how Lulu would handle the situation. Would she kill the victim, and leave nothing but a cold corpse to suck on? Would she knock him unconscious before sucking him dry? Would there be anything left…? All these thoughts ran through his mind, but he said nothing of it, simply acting the bystander. His hand flew to his flask before stopping again, sighing in disgust. The contents of it no longer appeased anything; alcohol no longer worked for him, and tasted extremely foul whenever he had decided to lift the beverage to his lips.

At this, Lulu shot a look of brief gratitude towards the man, who gave her nothing but a small nod in return. Her grip tightened around Squall's neck. He could feel the blood flow seem to stop where her hands grasped her neck, clamping off any circulation that might have been in progress beforehand. Stars seemed to burst in blues and blacks as he felt the lights start to go out in his mind. He could not speak… when attempting to do so, only a brief exhalation and a gasp were all that his exhausted lungs allotted. His hands tried in vain to dislodge hers, but to no avail… her strength far surpassed his own.

"Release him, Lulu." The cold voice commanded, only a few yards away from her. As the woman turned her head around, she promptly released him, causing him to collapse on the ground, his back against the wall and his hands around his neck. She backed away as Squall caught his breath, coughing and taking sharp inhalations in an attempt to remove the painful burning in his lungs that felt like a small inferno had ignited in them. After a few seconds of doing so, his head looked up, only to find the same woman who had come to his aid earlier.

"Walking alone in this area, out of my territory… what a stupid Knight you are." She spat, pulling him up with a rather surprising burst of strength. His eyes were just as cold as hers when they met, hers from normality and his from anger and frustration. He didn't understand…

"Why… why did you…?" He was stopped by a fit of coughing, which thoroughly shook his body. He had to catch his breath yet again… clearly, this was one element SeeD training hadn't prepared him for. Then again, they probably never expected the enemy to get that close, considering their weaponry. It figured that school would fail him when he needed the knowledge most.

"Enough. Leave us." She motioned to the others, who departed as the first two had done, slipping into the shadows in general disappointment. Lulu scowled before she left, leaving Auron to have to lead her away by the arm to prevent her from attacking again. His eyes showed a small bit of fear for her, as if that would have been a fatal mistake if she had done so.

"Get inside, Knight. You'll be safer there. But remember this: you'll never be as safe as if you were with me." Without explaining her words or letting Squall interrogate them, she opened her velvet wings and flew off, her ebony appearance once more blending in with the night sky as she departed. Squall sighed, not bothering to delve into her words; they would only spur more questions that he did not have time to answer.

"…" He walked in, only to find several other people seemingly waiting for him. He recognized the first, whose blonde hair set her apart from the rest. Her current strict demeanor meant that she was currently in 'instructor' mode, something he found quite amusing. He smirked at Quistis slightly before sighing as she stormed towards him. Without warning, her hand came down like lightning across his face, the contact only momentarily stinging his flesh as he turned to stare at her with once again with emotionless eyes. Hers, however, were filled with fury, rage, and frustration.

"You idiot… you led her here! Their leader! How could you? Rinoa had no idea that we were here before now…"


	3. Knight's Revelation

Ch. 3: Knight's Revelation

One of Squall's eyebrows arched as he felt the slap connect with his cheek, feeling the hand push his face to the left slightly. He did not reach his hand up to touch the place of impact, however, choosing instead to pause and simply stand there, silent and unmoving after the initial impact. He felt the place where her hand had struck him as it turned red, the actual wound even more superficial than it appeared. While it looked as if he'd been hit with a bat, he had only been struck with her palm. Quistis generally wasn't one to trifle with, especially her temper, should she decide to bring that particularly dangerous factor into the ring. Her blonde hair was up in ponytail, and her icy blue eyes aimed to kill him with her baleful gaze. She hadn't approved of his actions at all, tapping one of her black leather boots on the floor, listening as it clicked with each impact against the wood. Her pink outfit, which zippered up in the center, seemed to be almost unfitting, making her look much weaker and more fragile as her hand flew to her right hip, placing her weight on it while continuing to glare at him. That brought his memory back to the name she had mentioned earlier. He had never heard that strange name before, let alone to whom it belonged to. His eyes met his former instructor's for a moment longer before he spoke, breaking the uncomfortable silence between them.

"…Rinoa?" He asked, curiosity seeping into his voice. Quistis stood before him, rolling her eyes before sighing in earnest disgust. Her left hand tightly clutched her whip; a special weapon specialized for the trade. Along its length were woven-in crosses, the edges of which poked out from the chain's links like tiny blades. It had proven to be a very handy and effective weapon against humans, beasts, and vampires alike in this messed-up town. She took her right hand off her hip, and proceeded to weave the potentially deadly weapon between her fingers, ignoring the tiny cuts and scrapes the edges opened up in her skin. She opened her mouth to speak, but was interrupted by another voice instead.

"Yeah… Rinoa. You know, that sexy one with that tight leather outfit… ow!" A voice, followed by a yelp of pain, rang out from the couch across the room, with the teenager's sapphire blue eyes sparkling with mischief. A large, red mark that appeared on his cheek signified clearly where the spiky-haired brunette had been slapped. A foolish grin spread across his face, his dull teeth and lack of fangs reassuring Squall that he was, in fact, human. It was a welcome relief to find someone to talk to that wasn't constantly gawking at your neck. The smile was replaced with a sly sneer as he talked to the girl who lay out beside his armrest seat.

"Oh, don't hate me, Kairi…but she is good looking. It's a shame she's dead, hm?" He ducked and laughed while avoiding the pillows that were lobbed in his direction, one after the other. After a while, the chucked upholstery stooped flying; she had run out of pillows. Sora grinned and laughed slightly while giving her the best apologetic look he could manage. He couldn't speak; opening his mouth would let out laughter that he was sure she wouldn't appreciate. Kairi sighed, brushing her short, reddish-brown hair away from her face. She knew he was kidding, and there was nothing she could really do to stop it; getting angry would only add fuel to the fire, so to speak. Her violet eyes were closed as she slowly and sadly shook her head from side to side. Her short hair accompanied her, trying to sway as they trailed after her, but to no avail; the short, neck-length strands of hair curled in towards her face rather than trailing like ribbons after it. She tried, in vain, to keep some sort of anger in her eyes as she playfully pushed Sora off of the sofa, feeling the thud against the wooden floor through the furniture as he hit the ground.

A small groan seemed to float up from the floorboards as Sora pushed himself up. He was aching, yes, but his pride was hurt more than his body as he anchored himself with first his knees, then by his large, oversized yellow shoes. He sat up, and, regardless of the pain, couldn't resist laughing slightly at his own humiliating position. Kairi joined in, her peals of laughter a clear tone throughout the room. The other two were silent, only watching from afar.

"Well… if you're done…" Quistis said sternly as the two immediately ceased their laughter, returning to the subject at hand. She smiled at Squall for a brief moment, only to scowl at his surprised expression. He hadn't been aware that her teaching habits would actually come in handy on the field, and was even more shocked to find that they really listened to her. Clearing her throat, she saw his face change back to its placid appearance before she began.

"I heard Rinoa call you a Knight… and she's never made a false accusation yet. Not quite sure whether to curse her for targeting you or thanking her for letting us know." She crossed her arms, thinking briefly as Squall's hands began to clench, forming tight fists. He was quite tired of all the talk of Knights, and his continually denied defense of being human.

"And… just what is a Knight?" Squall asked, trying as hard as he could to suppress the annoyance, anger, and frustration that boiled within him. No one would answer his question before; if they didn't answer this time, either, he'd go right out and ask this 'Rinoa' himself.

"Oh… we are, Squall. We're the Knights. Well, it isn't just us, but…" She said, turning her head slightly toward the rather large infirmary across the street. "The rest are there. What makes a Knight a Knight is a certain sort of strength, carried in our different bloodlines, originating from the times of dragons and the thirteen Knights. Immortality left the lines some time ago after generations of mortal blood kept mixing with the genes of their famed longevity. We still hold their strength, which is why the undead despise us; we are as strong as they are. We are the only match for the vampires, Squall. We may be slower, but our strength is equal to theirs… well, all but one, anyway. Care to take a guess?" She asked.

"Let me guess… Rinoa, right?" Squall asked. She seemed to exercise whatever power she had much more than any other vampire he'd seen, and seemed to constantly demand respect from the others… he remembered the fear that had been present when she had taken the stake to her own kind, his own rival… He still couldn't help but roll his eyes, though… it was just so hard to believe, especially since the last thing he thought that Quistis would teach him had anything at all to do with staking vampires and being accused of inhumanity.

"Uh-huh." Sora nodded, approaching Squall before turning and looking out one of the windows; glass panes that hung over the bed with wooden frames seemed to stare right back as their reflections greeted them. "She's their leader, and for good reason… she's powerful, and merciless to boot." He sighed a bit before turning to the door, pointing at the mahogany piece of carpentry. "We barred it with crosses; stakes harmed too many innocents, and bruised their fair share of victims. There's no way to keep them out for good, though… they keep finding craftier ways to get their fill of the townspeople. They got a few of our team, and infected or imprisoned most of the town. The survivors and the rest of our little troupe are in the infirmary, and we deliver food to them every so often… we told them never to let the beasts in, or anyone they didn't know, for that matter, or it'd be the end of them."

"We've saved many lives that way," Kairi spoke from her reclining position, her voice a downcast one as she continued to speak. "We haven't even seen the sun in months. We're fighting a losing battle during a never-ending night. The Lunatic Pandora blocks the sun during the day, and allows the moon and stars to show at night. It shades the town from the sunlight until nightfall, leaves for the night, and returns, shading them again from dawn till dusk. The only way to leave town is through the exiting bordering Esthar, but only a few can leave in the transportation vehicles at any given time. There aren't any guards because there are no need of them. They can easily catch the slower runners, even on foot, and even the fastest of men are no match for their species. It's as if we're like mice, and they're cats, waiting for the prey to leave the protection of the cage before they snap us up… it's like they're constantly tormenting us. Like our friends… some of them were infected, too…" Her face was crestfallen as she realized just how true her words were, and yet… they had kept a lone town alive and protected for months. At least that was a small feat to be proud of and brag about if they ever left.

"Not Goofy and Donald… they weren't infected… they were sucked dry!" Sora yelled, slamming his fists into the floor. He ignored the pain that spread through them, struggling to let the words escape through his lips. "I still remember how they looked, so horrified at their capture. I'd bet they didn't even know what was happening until it was all over, huh?" He laughed bitterly as he recalled the series of events…

They had entered Esthar about a half year after the infection, and no one had told them that the city had long since been abandoned or killed. The moment they entered the gates, they had heard screeches of glee, of rejoice, as they heard the exit close behind them with a mighty roar against the earth. Stunned, they could only stare as the winged hordes came after them, one by one, their ghastly pale faces seemingly only wanting to feed, the hunger evident on their ecstatic faces. Without a word, Donald and Goofy were quickly snatched, with Sora unable to do anything as he continued to defend himself against one of the femme fatales. With a quick feint, he was able to bring the golden keyblade around, quickly decapitating the beast, who let out a loud shriek of pain and a gurgle as her lungs filled with bubbling, black blood before she fell to the ground.

When he looked up at the sky, he heard the white duck yelling in fear and confusion as his blue eyes searching quickly from side to side, trying to figure out what had grabbed him by the collar and was now holding him in the sky. Goofy was doing the same, only not as desperately. He was confused, but not scared.

"Finally, lil' Yuff… a warm meal. Bon appetit!" The first man, a rugged one, drove his fangs quickly into the yelling duck's neck, listening as they changed tone from yells of fear to screams of pain, anguish, and agony. He felt the pulse of the bird against his cold lips, felt the warm flesh against them as well, not caring that some of the blood sometimes leaked from the sides of his mouth onto his red bandana or his tanned face. He relished the feeling of the hot blood rushing past his teeth, sloshing the crimson liquid in him mouth and toying with it with his tongue before swallowing the salty elixir of life. He couldn't stop; the hunger was insatiable as he continued to drink, taking in long slurps in an attempt to keep his hunger at bay. The screams began to quiet down as Donald lost consciousness, his blue eyes still open as he hung there, with Jecht's hands and fangs at his neck.

"Indeed, indeed!" The ninja quickly followed suit, though it was much harder to hold her quarry than it was for Jecht to hold his. Her prey was much bigger… though, with a shot of Kiera poison through her fangs, the paralyzing serum coursed its way through Goofy's thrashing body, eventually causing his joints to lock and his eyes flutter from left to right as he sought to figure out what had happened to him. Movement was suddenly denied him, and then he began to panic… because he was no longer able to move, though, there wasn't much he could do to defend himself from the ravenous demoness that attacked him. Dog was certainly not her favorite dish, but its blood was warm… she drank to her heart's content, since neither were suitable candidates for the clan. The young vampires felt some of the liquid splash, as it always did, against her short, black hair, not caring when it hit her green top and khaki shorts. As it was, most were starving… they had to finish their meal before the others arrived.

Only now had the scene fully revealed itself to Sora, looking up in shock and revulsion as the vampires fed on his two closest companions. With a cry of rage, he launched his Keyblade from his hands as crystalline tears fell from his cheek, watching as the two easily avoided the attack with a quick flap of their large, webbed wings. He launched Firaga at them multiple times, watching as the fireballs flew through the air. Eventually, one of the lucky shots caught the female's hair ablaze, filling the air with the noxious stench of burning hair and flesh as she clawed at her head in a vain attempt to put out the fire. As she shrieked in pain and fury, the keyblade returned from its path, the sharp edge striking her neck, removing her head from her shoulders in snap and a tear as the flesh came apart, followed by a shower of freshly devoured blood from her severed neck. As Jecht stared in shock, Sora followed suit with his decapitation as well… and watched in disgust as other vampires dove in to the now headless bodies, slurping at the exposed flesh in their necks. They were careful not drink their kin's blood, but those of their victims, which were now lying motionless on the ground.

Sora crawled over to them, turning over each of their bodies. He yelled, horrified as he saw their completely dehydrated and bloodless bodies, their skin puckered, shriveled, and barely clinging to the bones. It shrunk their muscles to mere shells of their former selves, hollowed their bones… even their eyes were naught but shriveled tissues that strove to stay behind, like small, scorched raisins that clung to the sides of the sockets. In a cruel twist of fate, their eyes were still open, and stayed that way, gazing at the sky with eyes that could no longer see until they were burned at a pyre that Sora created himself, with the stench of burning flesh and feathers reminding him of their death.

Returning to the present with a small shake of the shoulder by Kairi, he smiled at her softly, vowing inwardly never to let those he loved die by the hands of those vile creatures that roamed the city. However, his gaze turned to Squall as he spoke, seriousness his main emotion as made his small speech.

"So, you're one of us now, huh? Be careful… especially you. Rinoa has her eyes on you, by the looks of it… and that's how she usually announces her next target."

A/N: The lack of reviews is damn annoying. But thanks to Annjirika, the one review keeps me posting this story. If I don't have five reviews by the end of this… I'll be very sad. x.x


	4. Intrusion

Ch. 4: Intrusion

Sleep did not come easy to Squall as he lay in bed, his stormy blue eyes gazing up at the ceiling. A sigh sneaked its way past his barely open lips as he turned over on the couch that Sora and Kairi had formerly occupied, feeling the crimson blanket that was wrapped around his body follow and crease with his every movement. His black leather coat lay on one of the armrests of the couch, the white fur collar resting against the curve of the couch as if it were his neck. He vaguely heard Sora's soft snoring and Kairi's annoyed tossing and turning that resulted from it. Without anyone to see him, he smiled a bit before turning his attention to the chimney that lay across the room.

They knew it had been a risk to install the brick structure, but the nights and days were horrendously cold in the city. It had been a necessity to keep the town's defenders safe from hypothermia during their resting hours and warm while they stood watch. By keeping a fire constantly ablaze with the occasional Firaga, they also prevented the dreaded monsters of the night from sweeping down into their fortress's only weakness in defense. His eyes played around the room, focusing on this object and that, trying to exhaust him mind as he tried in vain to sleep. He didn't even hear the small creak as the tiny crack in the window grew slightly wider as the wind blew against it. Squall paid the small noise no heed as he instead got up, belts clinking as he walked to his gunblade. The silver blade still reflected light, even in the darkest of nights. Smiling, he picked it up, taking it back to the couch.

As he sat down, he again missed the movement near the window as it opened up a few inches wider. He heard the groan that came from the frames, but it had happened so often that his paranoia was sated for the time being. Rather, he opened a small box that he held in his pocket, placing the small, cylindrical silver bullets into their slots in the revolver. He heard the soft clicks as they struck the insides of their casings, missing the almost-silent squeak that came from the pushed window pane. Gravity continued to cause more noise as a few bullets dropped to the floor, bouncing up once from the floor before rolling under the couch. Squall growled softly as he reached under the upholstery to retrieve it, the noise and darkness again cloaking the sounds and appearance of the intruder.

The trespasser silently continued their advance, swiftly yet quietly slipping through the now open window and moving like a shadow across the floor. At this point, Sora, not Squall, leaped up and yelled in alarm; though it was from his own nightmare, it alerted everyone else in the room. The lights were turned on and the candles all lit as Sora's, Kairi's, and Quistis's faces lit with shock, confusion, and horror as they saw what had slipped into the room, unnoticed and uninvited. Squall remained silent, his face revealing no emotion; it did not appear threatening, but knew that the other Knight's experiences with this town and its inhabitants far outweighed his own. It wasn't human, and wasn't a vampire. It walked closer to them on four legs, and looked like a medium-sized dog to Squall.

That's what it was; a dog. A medium-sized dog walked slowly up to the group, its brown and cream patches of fur a clear signal to the three experienced Knights, who by now had their weapons in hand and seemingly ready to fight. All Squall saw was a dog, not a threat. Her brown fur ran down her back and ornately across her face, while seeming to entirely miss her tailless bottom. Her cream-colored fur ran everywhere on her body where the brown had missed, running under her belly and across her chest while adorning most of her muzzle. She did not sit down, and shocked Squall as its formerly dark brown eyes turned a bright, glowing red. She had not been blocked by the windows… she was not a vampire, and could easily go through the crosses and let herself in.

_Give me the new Knight; hand over the man who stands before me._ Squall was shocked as he heard the dog's deep, feminine voice and words escape from the dog's mind, rather than her throat. It was no ordinary dog he was dealing with now, he knew. The others quickly sprang to his defense.

"Like we would! Get out, dog… or you'll never see your master again." Sora growled. It was an empty threat, he knew… despite her appearances, the dog was much swifter than they were. Though not as powerful, her speed and immunities more than made up for it. That dog had killed as many as her vampiric masters had done, leaving her victims for her masters to feed upon. Because she was immune to crosses and sunlight, she was also a prime spy and infiltrator for stubborn groups of citizens hiding behind crosses or the scarce beam of sunlight.

_You will address me as Angelo, insolent fool!_ Angelo growled, snarling slightly before continuing her former message. _As we speak, Rinoa has already infiltrated the Infirmary. It's your choice, Knights… either hand over the one we seek, or lose the many human lives that lie across the street. It's one life versus the feast of a lifetime. Now, choose!_

"Wha…!" Kairi could scarcely believe her ears as she heard the mental threat. Part of her mind wanted desperately to believe that it was a lie, a fallacy cooked up by Angelo's canine mind. However, hearing the shrieks of terror ringing across the street, she knew it was no empty threat that they were facing. Her eyes darted in fear and indecision… to give up one was to have their blood on her hands. Who would she choose…? To give up the townspeople would defeat the purpose of protecting them for so long, and yet… to give up Squall was like asking for another Rinoa. She knew his potential, and was aware of the gamble she was now involved in.

"…" Quistis could not respond. Though she usually kept her cool in situations like this, her mind was on overload from all the possibilities and consequences in the situation. She had stopped, her mind and joints locking like deer in the headlights as she pondered everything possible. There were no weapons that were useful against the animal… Angelo had been launched against brick buildings, lashed at with whips, and beaten with clubs, and yet she returned, time and time again. Poison was sucked out from her wounds, and lost blood replenished over time.

"Damn it…" Sora seethed. He had already lost two friends, and was now faced with losing another. It was either losing a new and crucial member or sacrificing an entire town. The choice seemed obvious, but he didn't want to simply hand the prize over to the bitch on a silver platter. His hand clutched the keyblade with such strength and anger that his hands trembled at the hilt of the weapon, the movement reflected at the weapon's length.

_Would you prefer me to make the decision for you? I can always initiate the feast earlier than expected… I'm sure that they wouldn't mind. Some haven't fed in days, and some for weeks; a few minutes head start ought to make their day._ The dog continued to toy with their minds, almost sneering with her canine expression as she sought to make them come out of their state of constant indecision. No matter how entertaining it might have been, it was now growing tiresome, her patience and attention span wearing quite thin.

Squall stepped forward.

"…Fine. Take me to her, then." He said, his voice revealing no fear or apprehension as he approached the canine. Sora reached out his hand and was about to stop him as Kairi held him back, reaching her slim arm forward to block his progress. Squall had made his own choice; no one forced it upon him. Quistis was devastated as she saw him leave, and a sinking feeling in her gut replaced the former fear and indecision. She felt as if… as if she wouldn't see him again. And even if he did… she shuddered at the mere thought.

_As you wish._ Angelo seemed to smile as she walked towards the window. _Come here, Squall of SeeD._ She watched silently as the seventeen year old followed behind her, waiting until he was standing side by side next to her. As she stood by the windowsill, she leaned back her head, letting out a long, mournful howl that broke the uneasy silence of terror and tension that had spread through Esthar. She looked back at the Knights one last time before she spoke.

_It is done._ With that, the others turned around to see dozens upon dozens of the vampires fly out like shadows from the windows of the Infirmary, with one in particular landing in their room instead through Angelo's open window. Rinoa, who had landed kneeling on one knee, lifted her head, letting the veil of black hair fall down her back. Her fangs were unsullied by recent blood, clean of the crimson liquid as she stared at the three who stood there in silence.

"We have touched no one, as I have decreed." Without warning, she quickly dashed behind Squall, who had seen nothing but a sudden blur of black before his eyes. Her elbow swiftly came down on the back of his head and he grunted in pain, losing consciousness quickly as the vampiress's right arm caught him in his descent towards the ground. In her left, she scooped up Angelo as she leapt out the open sill, her laughter ringing through the night as she departed. As she disappeared into the tapestry of stars in the night sky, she left as a stinging pain for the knights… a laugh of victory that would forever torment their dreams and lurk in their nightmares.

Tonight was the night that Sora had his vow shattered. He crumpled to the ground and tears fell in cascades from his eyes as he felt the bitter pain of losing another friend, felt the burning anger in his heart, knowing how helpless he felt and how little he could do for the one who had been taken.

_No, no, it can't be… am I doomed to suffer this loss yet again?_


	5. Peaceful Confrontation

Ch.5: Peaceful Confrontation

"…" Squall awoke to strange surroundings as his eyes fluttered open. His hand immediately flew to the back of his skull, where he felt the tender tissues scream in pain as he gingerly touched them fleetingly with the tips of his gloves. By that time, he knew what happened, but had no idea where he was now.

In front of him sat Angelo, who kept a peaceful eye on him. She did not appear dangerous like she had before, instead lolling out her tongue in a leisurely fashion and simply waiting for him to fully rouse from his forced slumber. As he awoke, she stood up and approached him. Only then did he realize that he was lying sideways on a small mattress, the springs poking him only slightly as he sat up to meet the approaching canine. He held out his hands and stroked her behind the ears… though he didn't like to admit it in front of others, he wasn't an animal hater at heart. He just didn't have the chance to prove that fact, that was all. He seemed to sense that she was friendly this time, not hostile or aggressive.

At first, she whined, not sure if he was going to hurt her as the hands approached her head. She tensed up slightly, expecting to feel the worst; in her mind, she knew she deserved it from him. She'd taken away his friends and his father's town… and yet, she was surprised to feel the gentle scratches and strokes behind her ears. She pushed her head against his hands for a bit, relishing the feeling of warm hands touching her instead of the cold hands she was so used to.

_Hmm… say, that feels good… oh!_ Angelo walked away briefly after a few more scratches to move towards the wooden door that held her and Squall in. Her nails clicked against the wooden floor as she scratched the door, her scrapings taking off chips and flakes of wood. _Rinoa… he's awake._

That one name jostled him a bit, until he realized what had truly come to pass. Yes… he had given himself up for the town. And yet… he wondered why. He wasn't the self-sacrificial type, and yet had given up whatever freedom and chance of survival he might have had by saving a town he had no responsibility over and a father he wasn't sure was still alive. He never did have a chance to check the Infirmary, and never had the opportunity to see whether or not his father and friends were still alive. Laguna, Kiros, and Ward… three friends who Squall swore were joined at the hip, one way or another. Where one of them went, so did the other two; whether it was to go drinking in a bar or being dispatched on military missions in another country, they always stuck together. He wasn't quite sure whether to call that a friendship or a grafting.

"So… you're finally awake." The cold, velvety voice shocked him from his thoughts as his azure eyes locked with her dark brown ones. He saw nothing in them… no inner fire, no signs of life or feelings whatsoever. In a way, it reminded him of himself, and how others probably saw him… cold, heartless, and aloof; an image he strived to keep up whenever possible. This was no exception.

"…" He kept silent. Why not? After all, he had nothing to say to the woman, so there was no reason for speech; it was a meaningless waste of time and energy on both their parts. He would have had to think of the words before actually speaking them, while she would have to stay there and listen. Begging for mercy was for the spineless, but he was not about to say 'Kill me!', either. Instead, he sat there, his eyes locked with hers in a seemingly never-ending staring contest. He noticed for the first time that her eyes, though cold, were not hostile or full of hunger or hatred, as he'd thought they'd be.

Angelo's eyes moved quickly between the two figures, her ears quickly moving back to lie against her skull. They both seemed dark, serious, and damn stubborn. With a small whine that she was unable to suppress, she left the room; if she had a tail, it would've been between her legs by now. The tension between predator and prey, captor and captive, and vampire and human was thick, seemingly weighing down like excess baggage to both in the room. As she sped from the room as fast as her paws could carry her, she saw a rather curious individual by the door who insisted on rudely eavesdropping in on their conversation. Her ear had been pressing against the wooden door, with her long brown hair draping down her shoulders and back. Her white tank top and short brown pants showed nothing that indicated how cold it was inside; only her large, leather boots could have possibly kept her warm. Then again, the vampiress could not feel the cold, and therefore could dress as she pleased.

_Tifa… that's not going to get you very far. They're not talking at all in there. Stay if you want, but you're bound to be disappointed._ Angelo told the brunette as she walked off, choosing instead to curl up in her blanket-covered basket for a short nap. She'd done her share, and scaling rooftops silently while Rinoa was off sneaking into the Infirmary hadn't made it any easier on her, for the vampiress was normally her safety net in case she fell from the shingles. Rather than dwell on the thought, the dog turned around in her bed a few times before simply going to sleep.

Tifa ignored her, though she had a hunch that Angelo had been right. She was a bright dog, and had been in there herself; she'd know. Hoping against the odds, she leaned her head on the door to listen in on their interaction; calling it a conversation was like calling a standing child running. The silence spoke volumes between the two figures as their eye lock continued. After several minutes, Squall was forced to break the contact, looking away from the girl who stood before him. After all… his eyes were still alive, and needed moisture in the form of tears. She did not, and therefore stood still, unblinking, at his antics.

"I do not understand." She said simply, causing Squall to have a slight look of confusion before his expression reverted to normal. Rinoa had definitely caught him off-guard that time; he hadn't expected her to speak for some time, and yet she broke the silence long before he ever planned to. She could not understand why he had not spoken to her, let alone why he tried to stare down one with dead eyes.

"What?" He asked simply. He kept the curiosity out of his voice as he asked her, attempting to make his voice sound perfectly emotionless, as it almost always was. He wondered what made her say that strange statement. What did she not understand? What surprised him most was that she smiled at this… and his face showed it.

"Curiosity… I haven't felt that in a long time from anyone in my presence." She smiled and leaned down, almost face to face with the sitting teen. He was taken aback, leaning back, only to feel his head hit the wall behind him. Her smile reverted to its normal, emotionless expression as she continued to stare at him.

"And now… why are you frightened? I have done nothing to you." Her voice showed a trace of sadness… though she tried to hide it, it was as if she no longer understood what feelings were. Squall felt a sense of connection briefly, recalling how no one understood how he felt, how he was so detached from his emotions. The smile returned, only softer this time.

"Sympathy…? I have done nothing to deserve it." When she felt the waves of shock simply roll off of him, and saw that his face revealed none of it, she kept the smile as she spoke again. "Shocking, yes. I may not be able to read your mind or your face, but emotions tell me everything."

"…how?" He asked. He couldn't believe he was now conversing with a vampire, let alone the one who kidnapped him against his will. He was sort of uneasy knowing that she knew what he felt, and yet… felt somewhat comfortable around her. Not so comfortable as to keep up a civil conversation; just comfortable enough that he wouldn't feel the constant need to get out of the room.

"We vampires…" She said, flinching for a moment at her choice of words. "…we can sense emotions. We can't read minds, so it is our best asset. It is strange to find, though… you seem to be a whirlwind of pent-up emotions. Why do you do so? It will tear your soul apart…"

_She's… she's **talking** to someone!_ Tifa was genuinely shocked as her ears pressed against the wood. Never in her experience had she heard her speak more than a few words to anyone… even her own kin. And yet… she seemed to be quite open with this one. In fact, she seemed to be talking much more than the captive. Why? What made her…?

"I'll be taking my leave of you. If you ever… Well, if you need…" She sighed before she left. She'd forgotten the phrases long ago… she never used it, so she lost it, so to speak. Tifa gasped as Rinoa's footsteps approached the door, not quite removing the shock as she reemerged from the room.

"What?" Rinoa asked coldly, her eyes again revealing nothing to the other vampiress before she left. Her cape seemed to flow out behind her before she turned down the hall and away from the eavesdropper.

_Ah… so that's how it is._ Tifa thought, smiling. She tipped her head to the side and giggled for a little bit before realizing something else.

_How cute! Rinoa's got herself a crush…!_


	6. Reminiscence

Ch. 6: Reminiscence

Sora, Quistis and Kairi stood by the still-open window, shocked into silence and unable to move from the places where they stood. Sora felt as if a piece of his heart had been torn to shreds as he saw what remained of his vow carried away by their deadliest nemesis. He failed… he failed. Not once, but three times had he let the vampires have their way. Once with Donald and Goofy, once with Squall…

None of them had had the chance to tell Squall about their lost members, and why a mere summoner had gone from their strongest member to one a lost member in less than a few months. She had met them on the streets of Esthar as they had guided the rest of the civilians into the Infirmary, watching as she protected them with spells and reduced the vampires to dust with repeated beams of pure white light, causing the undead to writhe in pain and scream in agony before succumbing to a spell she called 'Holy'. She had smiled at them that day as they ran to get the survivors to their new home.

"What are you doing out in the streets? Only the Knights can fight these vampires. Better get inside." She said, her voice soft and comforting, and yet carrying with her words a sense of sympathy and strength as she saw their situation. Her eyes locked with the Keyblade master's, with one eye dark blue and the emerald green from her mixed heritage. Her hair was a dark brown, reaching almost to her shoulders, and wore a summoner's robe with a white top, outfitted with orchid colored sleeves, a yellow sash with flowers around her waist, and a bottom created with marvelous violet fabric. She held in her hand a rather exquisite rod, with the red and orange extensions at the end looking like fiery wings. Sora looked a bit embarrassed before filling her in as Quistis and Riku shut the doors. Riku was one of the other members of the Knights that Squall had never seen, along with a few others. He made sure to lock the doors before letting Quistis approach this new stranger.

"Uh… we are the Knights, miss." Sora said, a bit bashful as the summoner giggled at his embarrassment. Quistis arched an eyebrow as she walked up to Sora, knowing that he must have embarrassed himself in one way or another to be wearing that foolish grin. Her gaze turned to the newcomer, and she smiled warmly in welcome.

"It's a surprise to see someone of such power against the undead. Are you a Knight, miss?" Quistis asked, her voice curious and full of respect simultaneously. She did not want to pry, but at the same time, curiosity seemed to fuel her to ask at least a few impersonal questions.

"Oh… my name is Yuna. I am but a summoner." She bowed deeply to the rest of them, causing a few 'No, you don't need to do that's and a few 'Nice to meet you's. A smile crossed her face as she said, "Well, it's good to know that the Knights aren't the cold, confident brutes everyone says they are." She paused before quickly saying, "I'm sorry… I meant no offense."

"None taken." Kairi smiled at Yuna, holding out her hand to shake. "I'm Kairi. That's Quistis and Sora." She said after taking Yuna's hand, pointing to each member in turn. They barely even noticed as something swooped down before them, grabbing a hold of Yuna by her slim shoulders. Though shocked, she didn't utter a sound as she quickly twirled around in their grasp, dislodging the person's hands and was soon holding her staff at the perpetrator's neck. The vampire held up his hands in surrender as he saw her different colored eyes seemingly staring straight through him, her eyes cold and merciless in appearance as her eyes met with his.

"Hey, hey, hey! I'm sorry, okay?" He smiled his fangy grin as he ran his hand through his tussled, dirty blond hair. His blue eyes seemed to not ask for mercy, but appeared rather entertained at the girl's reaction to a simple grab. Never had be been shaken from his prey, and from a girl, no less. His yellow shirt had white sleeves and collar, the material ending at his abdomen and revealing his chest. Belt straps were over the shirt but under the white collar, the straps reaching down to form overalls that also served as pants. His black belt separated his finely toned abdomen from his legs, with one of the pant legs longer than the other. Around his neck he wore a charm on a silver chain, with three separate prongs coming together to form a vague 'y' shape on his chest. Yuna kept her staff at his neck, but seemed hesitant about doing so.

"…" She didn't say a word. She felt… something from this man. Just what was it? He was a blood-sucking demon, and needed to be annihilated for the sake of the innocent civilians. So why couldn't she bring herself to cast Holy, as she had done to countless others?

"…does this mean I'm free to go?" He joked, seeing a temporary lapse in her formerly murderous glare. He was a bit taken aback by her appearance… he wasn't expecting to meet, let alone be deflected by such a beautiful looking woman. She seemed to be much more merciful than he expected, though if he had been killed by her, it would not all have been for naught… for he would have died gazing at an angel.

"..." Yuna's staff swiftly left his neck as the three behind her gasped in shock, grabbing their stakes in preparation to complete a kill that she could not make. As she saw them approach, she threw herself between them and their intended target.

"Go!" She yelled, pushing him away from her and into the air as he smiled down back at her from his viewpoint in the sky. A grateful look, one rarely seen on the likes of the undead, was on his face as his eyes met hers. It was like a small glimpse of happiness for the summoner, her heart almost skipping a beat as he left her.

"Thanks, I'll never forget it!" He turned from her and continued to fly off. Though his face was still smiling, inwardly he felt something inside of him begging him to go back. He couldn't understand the tugging feeling he felt in his chest, the strange foreign feeling of warmth spreading through his chest. As his hand swiftly flew there, he felt nothing but his cold, dead flesh.

_Goodbye…_ Yuna thought as the others confronted her, rage and confusion spelled across their faces as she found them staring at her. Her face revealed an expression full of sorrow and apology, as well as a brief look of regret.

"What was that all about! We just saw you toast at least a dozen back with there… and you still let him go. Why, Yuna?" Sora asked her, his eyes pleading with those of the summoner for answers that even she could not give. Why had she been so merciful towards him, when she had not been for others?

"I…I do not know. I am sorry…" Yuna said softly. She was unable to meet their accusing, yet sympathetic gazes towards her as she turned her head. She suddenly felt unworthy of being in their presence, as if she never belonged and never would, now that she had done such. She had allowed one to live when she had his life in her hands.

"Don't feel too bad…" Kairi said, sympathy leaking into her tone as she stepped closer to her. She could relate; she'd let a few go, though those were on accident, not a deliberate release. Her gaze turned to Quistis and Sora, pleading for mercy on the girl's behalf. The look on Yuna's face showed pain, disgrace, and sorrow; expressions that Kairi never wanted to see on anyone's face.

"What's done is done." Quistis said, sighing. "It's a bit much to ask after what Sora said to you…" She said, shooting a toxic glare towards the brunette boy, "…but I would like to try, anyways. Would you, Yuna, like to join us as one of the Knights?"

"M…me? Even after…?" Yuna stuttered, a bit taken aback. It was what she had come here for in the first place, to rid the city of the evil that plagued it, but never considered them to be so forgiving towards her initial transgression. So much for first impressions, on her part. She smiled softly and said, "Thank you; I'd love to."

"Well, then it's settled!" Sora said, his head now leaning back against his arms as he stood, stretching while still standing. He smiled at Yuna. "I'm sorry about that… I just… oh, never mind." He sighed, hanging his head and arms down a bit before looking up again, his traditional silly grin spreading across his face.

"It's okay." Yuna smiled, her eyes closing as she giggled softly against her hand. Her eyes opened as she briefly nodded before following she followed them to their main home, the small, one room complex across the street from the Infirmary.

It was there that she had spent several months, eliminating countless legions of the vampires that infested the city like termites in rotten wood. And yet, Sora, Kairi, and Quistis had not seen that mysterious vampire that had been uncharacteristically shown mercy.

Little did they know that they had met each other many times behind the Knights' backs.

Yuna was in charge of getting supplies and food for the civilians; a task far more difficult than it sounded and not to have its complexity and danger underestimated. She had met the mysterious being many times, who always had the food she needed in tow. She had walked with him all the way back, with him leaving only to prevent from being seen. They carried on pleasant conversations, from blitzball, which he was surprisingly knowledgeable at, to pets, moogles, and Pinnochio, which they both got a good chuckle out of. Talking about the weirdest things seemed to inspire humor, even to one who no longer lived.

However, she was taken aback one day; as she met the man, he directed her to a dark alleyway rather than take her straight back. Slightly nervous, she trembled slightly… though she felt comfortable around him, there was a certain fear involved; he was taking her somewhere they'd never been before. Softly, he pushed her shoulders against the cold, concrete wall, almost flinching as she whimpered softly against the temperature difference of the hard material. His face went close to hers and he asked…

"Yuna… I must know. Do you… do you love me?" He had felt the feelings emanate from her before like waves of light, swarming around him, wrapping around him before leaving as fleetingly as they arrived. His eyes were pleading with her, for he felt the same way towards the one who stood before him. He knew his methods weren't exactly elegant, but had never had the chance to experiment with anything else before, and therefore had no idea as to how to go about it.

"…Yes. I do." Her eyes filled with tears of joy as she saw the relieved smile that appeared on his face as he drew her close, hugging her tight against his cold flesh and feeling her warmth against him. His hand reached towards her, using his thumb to wipe away the crystal tears that fell down her cheek. She closed her eyes and began to whisper towards him.

"But…" She said, feeling that he was pushing her away slightly, only to bring her back with his hands on her shoulders rather than around her back.

"I don't…" She whispered, gasping slightly as his cold fingers briefly touched the sides of her neck.

"Even know…" She gasped, feeling the coldness of the digits stay there, slowly caressing her warm neck, feeling the pulse beneath rattle the pads of his fingertips as he continued to do so.

"Your name." At that, she felt the hands cease their movements. As she opened her eyes, she once again saw his.

"Would you be willing to spend… eternity with me, Yuna?" He asked, his hands moving across her neck once more while awaiting her answer.

"…Yes." She said, after only a brief second of thought. He drew his face close to hers, smiling softly as he shivered against the cold hands that touched her cheeks. His lips fleetingly met hers, brushing against them briefly with hesitance. As she felt this, it was she who initiated the kiss, pulling his head close to hers with her hands behind his back. She felt his cold lips and tongue against her own… a new feeling, to be sure. Without warning, he pulled away, hearing her whimper in remorse as his lips left hers and darted downward, with his cold face soon nestled at her neck. The feeling of his breath hitting her flesh sent shivers down her spine as she felt the cold, strong hands hold her neck gently but securely in place.

"My name is Tidus, Yuna… and I'll always love you. Remember that." With that, she felt a searing pain as the fangs drove into the thin and fragile flesh of her neck, gasping in pain as her eyes grew wide in shock. Soon, she closed them, feeling only slightly more at ease after the initial puncturing; the pain was still there, but the shock had worn off. She relaxed her body in his grasp and stopped clenching the back of his shirt as she got used to the new sensations, feeling his head crane forward slightly to meet her slightly falling neck. She felt the blood leaving her, felt the suction from his mouth as it left, and his cold tongue lapping up the last bits that leaked from her wounds. As she lost consciousness, only one thought ran through her mind.

_True love only comes once, and blinds the mind's judgment when it arrives… Have I done the right thing in choosing eternal, forbidden love?_

It was the following night that Yuna ambushed the group, having been invited in by the rest of the Knights into their home, as they had always done. If it had not been for Kairi and her cross, and Sora noticing the two red piercings now adorning her neck, then they would have lost more than one Knight to the undead. As she left, a sense of lamentation stayed behind as the two vampiric lovers leapt from the roof of a nearby building, hand in hand as they vowed to spend all eternity in each other's arms. The Knights could only look on, never fully understanding the underlying meaning of the whistle that pierced through the silence of the night.


	7. Blood Bonds

Ch. 7: Blood Bonds

"Damn it." Squall leaned his head back against the wooden wall, listening to the noises he heard outside. He could tell there were at least three people by the sounds of boots, and one dog that he knew was Angelo. The door began to creak, causing Squall to look up in surprise and move quickly away from the wall as the piece of wood was moved aside, revealing the same vampiress he had met earlier that day. One green eye peeked out at him from the side of the door frame, moving away slightly to reveal her other blue one.

"You're… you're a Knight, aren't you?" She asked, as if forgetting that she had gone for his throat only mere hours ago. Her face was downcast, as if apologetic. "My apologies… I had no idea… just a hunch, really… until Rinoa told us. Even then, we had quite a bit to discover, ourselves." She smiled a bit, looking at Squall with her telltale teeth showing through.

"No need to be sorry." He muttered bitterly, turning away from the woman's strange and bicolored gaze.

"…I think there is. I used to be a Knight, myself." This brought Squall's head up, looking at the summoner with confusion as she continued to look sullen. Suddenly, as if she just remembered, Yuna said, "Oh! And Rinoa's waiting out for you in the main room… you'd best hurry." She swiftly left, not giving him time to react or ask questions as she swept out of the room.

"…" He knew he had no choice in the matter this time, making sure to take his Gunblade with him as he cautiously left the room. He was greeted by several faces, some of which he recognized. Angelo continued to lie in her bed, turning to almost smile with her canine face as he approached, her pink tongue lolling out slightly as she lay in her whicker basket, snuggling in her soft pink blankets. Yuna was standing by the room he was once in, closing the door softly as he exited while the SeeD's back was turned. The few new faces that he saw came in two forms; one male, and the other female.

The first was a man with brilliant blonde hair, sticking out this way and that in haphazard spikes that continued to seemingly reach out from his skull. His blue eyes seemed to glow a slight green, like the color of sifted through leaves. He held a rather tall figure, but was not overly muscular or intimidating as he leaned against one of the walls. His crimson sash ran across his face, masking his nose and mouth as the tattered, blood-red cape lay out behind him. His black outfit adorned his skin, with his brown leather boots and golden clawed gauntlet finishing his dark and bloody appearance.

The second was a woman with long, brown, silky hair that ran down easily to her waist, with only the end tied with a crimson rubber band. Her white sleeveless shirt covered her chest and the upper part of her abdomen, with brown leather straps and silver clips holding the outfit together with her short pants, which barely covered her upper thighs. Her brown eyes gazed with an almost entertained look at Squall, who, uneasy with the expression, proceeded to ignore it to the best of his ability.

The last figure in the room was a face he could not see, her back turned away from him as she gazed out the barred window nearby. The panes revealed the countless stars in the night sky, sparkling like diamonds against the dark curtains of the night. Rinoa slowly turned around, her raven hair sweeping behind as she smiled at Squall… for once, with slight, almost alien warmth. She did not hesitate to walk up to the man, who likewise did not hesitate to step back.

"Why do you run? Why do you fear? There are so many things I don't know, Squall… and so many things that you do not, either." This caused the teenage mercenary to stop, and ponder her words while his eyes quickly scanned the room. He had not noticed before that his exits were blocked; the bars over the windows were made of pure steel and diamonds' dust, and could not be bent or shot through with the likes of the Gunblade. Yuna stood before the door he had once exited from, and Cloud blocked the front door that led out of the small enclosure. Tifa stood behind Squall, slowly approaching him. He barely heard her breathing and soft steps behind him before her muscular right arm clasped around his neck, with her left bracing against her right arm to keep her grip steady. She felt the muscles of his neck and shoulders tense in surprise before feeling them ripple beneath her flesh as he struggled to escape from her steel grip.

"His pulse… so fast and so strong, Rinoa. He fears us… but is angered by our actions, as well." Tifa mused, watching as the SeeD, despite his strength, could not break free of the cold hands of death. Taking a different approach, he grabbed the gunblade from his waist before simply thrusting it out behind him, feeling the girl flinch in pain, but not cry out, as he felt calf and leg muscles tore apart before the steel. Her leg buckled slightly, but the torn and shredded muscles did not bleed as she tried her best to support both his and her weight upon her wounds. He knew the lapse in strength wouldn't last, twisting free briefly before having another set of hands to contend with. Cloud had him by the wrists before he could react, forcing him to drop his weapon by harshly twisting his wrist, raising the mercenary's arm until his knuckles touched his skull. Cloud's other arm held Squall's against his side before pulling it back, momentarily dislocating his shoulder. Squall grunted in pain, and fell forward slightly as his knees buckled, but gave no other hints towards his discomfort as Yuna quickly healed Tifa's wounds. Squall sat there, watching as the strange-colored muscle and flesh seemed to knit themselves together, braiding unused blood vessels in networks of capillaries as they snaked through the sinewy muscle tissue. Afterwards, the flesh seemed to reach over, covering the open flesh like a tent before seamlessly reuniting itself with the other side. Cloud had his foot on Squall's ankles to prevent further let movement as Rinoa approached. As soon as she arrived, Cloud had jerked him back to a standing position by releasing his large, leather boots from the SeeD's leg and using the man's arms to haul him upright.

"Don't struggle so." Rinoa cooed as she approached the still-struggling brunette. "It won't hurt… much." As her face leaned over to stare face-to-face with Squall Leonhart, she was surprised to see that there was no fear in his eyes… rather, a sense of anger and hate that didn't appeared to be targeted at any particular individual. She leaned just a bit closer, her fangs revealed through her smiling expression as she moved forward. Though her lips brushed against his, it was a fleeting touch that resulted in Squall moving his head to the side, moving away from the attempted kiss.

"Hold him." Rinoa spoke. As Squall stared at her pale face, he wasn't sure whether it was a look of amusement or disappointment that played across her lips. Cloud strengthened his grip, holding Squall's right arm up against his back as high as possible without injuring him to keep him steady. Squall gritted his teeth against the straining muscles as his shoulder muscle was pulled taught against the other swordsman's grasp, unwittingly raising his head and revealing his neck to the vampire before him. Another smile crossed her face, one that he couldn't see that was filled with a sense of fulfillment, of triumph.

Squall felt the flash of cold flesh against his neck, along with the sharp nails that accompanied her dead digits. He felt the quick caresses as she ran her nails across his flesh, opening small cuts as they trailed across his neck that leaked small drops of his ruby-red blood. He felt her lips upon his neck, but could do nothing as she drove her sharp fangs into his skin. His mouth flew open in a silent scream of pain as the fiery sensation flew through his body, almost paralyzing him with the lightning that coursed through his veins. He felt as if the wounds were on fire… the fangs felt like foot-long needles had been inserted into his flesh, and were like daggers to his protesting nerves. Rinoa felt the warm, salty blood strike her teeth and gums, relishing the taste as it splashed against her tongue. The crimson liquid flowed freely as she continued to drink, carefully monitoring the amount she consumed as she let her tongue slide over the two new punctures in his neck, feeling the dip in his flesh before lightly sucking on the wounds, letting more blood leak through. After a short while, she felt him stop struggling, seemingly relaxing against Cloud's grip.

She stopped, moving from her feeding ground to look at the SeeD. He had not gone unconscious, but rather had stopped, knowing it was useless to continue struggling against an inevitable conclusion; he had given up all remaining hope of possible humanity. He knew his new fate, his inevitable existence as he saw Rinoa return to her former place. A few more seconds passed before his vision hazed, becoming blurred and details becoming incoherent as he began to lose consciousness. Everything went black in his eyes as he slumped forward, with only Cloud's hold keeping him upright. The vampiress reached up to wipe the blood from her lips, and then reconsidered as she ran her tongue over the remainder of the liquid instead.

Concerned, Yuna scooped up the warrior as Cloud released him, the older man clearly not caring what happened to him in the immediate future. His breathing was steady, and his heartbeat steady but faint against her ears as she held her head to his chest. She sighed with relief as she heard this, looking up towards Rinoa, who was now back to gazing at the night sky, nonchalantly, as if nothing had happened, as if she had never fed.

"Don't you think you…" Yuna began.

"No. I didn't take too much, Yuna. What use is he to me if he's sucked dry?" Rinoa finished for the summoner. She did not turn from her spot at the window, still staring emotionlessly into the seemingly endless sky. She eventually turned, though, speaking to the other girl who stood in the room, her leg completely healed as she walked towards Rinoa.

"Take him to his room, Tifa. He needs rest. Bar the doors… it's going to be a rough night for all of us." Tifa nodded at Rinoa's words, hauling the unconscious body of Squall back to the room that he had formerly inhabited, gently placing him onto the bed and covering him with a sheet. She made sure to bar the windows, though she knew it was in vain, and locked the doors, making sure to padlock them from the other side. She looked back into the room, as if taking in for the last time the sight of this man still alive and breathing.

She exited the small enclosure, placing the final lock in place as she turned around to meet the gaze of the others. Her eyes scanned each before she sighed, muttering a soft, "It is done." The deed done, she walked to her roost, tossing off her boots and flipping upside down into the rafters, where her claw-like toenails gripped the wooden beams. She knew she wasn't going to be able to sleep well, but figured that at least an attempt was in order. Finally bringing out her wings, she wrapped herself in the brown, leathery skin and tried in vain to cradle herself to sleep.

Angelo whined from her basket, lowering her head onto the small pillow that she had been provided. She never liked seeing the siring of others, and this was no exception. Most involved bloodcurdling screams, attempted bribery for life, or cries for mercy, but this one was surprisingly quick and quiet. That made it all the more disturbing for her as she closed her eyes, the silence of the room speaking volumes for her and her master. Feeling as if she owed the man something, she spoke once more to Squall…

_Remember the feeling of warmth of life, of heart, of love… remember not only for yourself, but for the one who can't remember herself. Be the eyes to see for the blind, and hopefully, you can become the heart for the one who can no longer see her own. Remember, Squall… remember._

**Reviewer Thanks:**

_Annjirika:_ Thank you so much for your continual support. .

_QwikSilver:_ Aw, that's sweet! I have a couple more fluff scenes later, but not that many. So don't hold yer breath. ;)

_RETARDcupcake_


	8. Leap of Faith

Ch.8: Leap of Faith

Squall awoke some time later, with a pulsing pain that would not let him rest. His right hand flew to his neck, hoping that it had all been a nightmare, it hadn't truly happened, he wasn't really… He cursed as his gloved hand found and quickly flew away from the punctures in his neck. Pain prevented him from touching it for more than a few seconds, pain he was willing to bear. He gritted his teeth against his neck's protests as he continued to survey the wound with touch, rather than sight. He felt the small divots, and the barely caking blood that covered them. He could have sworn that he still felt the woman's face beside his neck, as well, the chill from her presence still lingering against his flesh.

He fought the urge to scream out in rage, to cry out and yell his frustration before running out and staking the whole group of vampires. He knew he couldn't do it, that it was suicide to do so. As everything new completely sank in, he noticed something else that made him scowl. Suicide? That wasn't possible anymore; he was a dead man, a dead SeeD whose body would never be buried with the rest of the normal human beings. Then again, he wasn't human anymore, either. He snarled in rage as he dipped his head, placing them into his hands. Life… or death, rather… would never be the same again. There was no returning from the land of the dead.

He knew now… they had gotten what they wanted from him. He didn't know why they had taken him over an entire city of innocent civilians, but they had obviously completed their mission. They had turned him, sired him into the undead beast he was to become. His heart was still beating… he assumed that it took time for the transformation to be fully completed. Unsure of what was happening, he walked to the door… if they were going to just transform him like this, then it would be rational to believe that they had answers, as well. He was unpleasantly surprised to find the door locked, the handle remaining stubbornly motionless as he tried in vain to turn the knob.

Despite himself, his frustration took over, resulting in him slamming on the door with his fist. He ignored the slashes he endured against his fist, blood racing down his hand as he unwittingly split some of the wood on the doorframe. Realizing that he wasn't going to get anywhere with a dislocated arm, he gritted his teeth as he thrust his shoulder against the door, feeling the excruciating pain of the bone being forced back into its socket. He snarled a bit from the pain, all the while continuing to lean on the door for support. Rinoa heard this, but did not turn from her spot. She knew now that he had awakened, and was not a happy man at the moment. She never had a willing victim before, either, so was not at all surprised by his reaction and newfound life. Angelo proceeded to whine softly before stepping out of her whicker basket, her nails clicking against the floor as she dragged her bed as far away from Squall's door as possible. She didn't even bother trying to go back to sleep; the noise had been so jarring, she knew that she'd be pacing for quite some time before she ever got a chance at forty winks.

Staring at his wounded hands, he felt the pain as they wounds were separated from the wooden door. He quickly realized that, since he still bled, it took longer than he expected to be fully transformed… and he was going to make the most of it. He was going to get answers… before the transformation prevented him from even speaking to the ones who could get him the most information. He turned to the windows, only now realizing the bars on them. His heart sank; he knew he wasn't able to bend them last time, and there was no way now…

That was then he realized another one of the vampire's advantages; strength that surpassed that of any normal human being. If someone was able to twist the bars so that they stayed steady, it was a fair bet that an almost-vampire like him would be able to bend them as well. Though he preferred to think of himself as more a human than a vampire, he knew it was only a matter of time before the new bite changed that. It was a strange transfer for him, almost like an identity crisis; in less than two days, he'd been called a human, a Knight, and now was to be called a vampire. Reaching up, he clasped the black bars in his hands, wondering if he truly could bend them and earn his escape. This was much different than D-District Prison, one he had personally visited, that was for sure.

"Come on…" He murmured under his breath, flexing his muscles and gritting his teeth against the steel and diamond bars, inwardly cursing and praying for his vampiric qualities. Soon enough, the metal began to creak, twisting only slightly under his grasp like an exercise bar in the hands of a child. However, after a few more minutes of grunting, groaning, and straining, the bars were finally opened wide enough for the SeeD to make his escape. Shattering the window with the Gunblade, he climbed into the sill using his bed as a lever before peering out at the ground below.

Or rather, the lack of it.

The ground was a long ways away, and there were no ladders or ropes down. It looked like a few stories high, from his perspective. His heart sank; a full vampire could easily make the fall, but a transforming one? Judging by the dark, red-brown stains that remained on the concrete, it appeared that luck was most definitely not on his side. He swore before weighing his chances; if his legs were to be broken, he'd be sucked dry or bleed to possible death on the road, and if he didn't, what then? Would he be able to make it back to Quistis, Sora, and Kairi? It was only a few blocks away, but even a cut attracted the undead like sharks to a gallon of ground fish.

"Go ahead and jump, if you want. Run, if you'd like. Just see how far it gets you." Cloud's voice rang through the door. The blonde swordsman was sitting on a wooden chair, just outside of Squall's door. This situation happened to just about every single one, none of whom thought that becoming road soup was very appealing. Some were foolish enough to make the fall, and others had enough sense to stay back. Squall stopped, turning around to glare at the still-closed door, as if it were the actual vampire instead of a plank of wood that separated them. Cloud smirked, his smile invisible from the SeeD's sight not only by the door, but by the crimson sash that he wore before his face as well, whose hue matched that of his liquid diet.

_That's right, go ahead and jump, if that's what you see fit. I could care less. Just what does that woman see in you, boy?_ Cloud thought to himself, silently wondering why Rinoa had been so intent on turning just one person… just one… out of countless hundreds of others whose necks were virtually in their grasp. What did she see in the teen that made her act this way? In the years he had known her, never before had she done such; bartering was an almost unknown concept. For her, it was take all, no questions asked. And yet, she had done so, just to get this one scarred boy. Why?

"Don't think so hard, Cloud. You're going to hurt yourself." Tifa fidgeted a bit before giggling from her roost, leaping down from the boards in the ceiling to join him. She landed perfectly in her boots, a routine that had taken quite a while to master. She walked over to Cloud, walking behind his chair before leaning over, wrapping her arms around his neck and placing her head in the crook of his neck as she whispered into his ear.

"And don't encourage him. He looks headstrong to the point where he could easily do that." She scolded, still smiling as she saw Cloud's forced expression of annoyance spread across his face. She knew it was half-hearted, giggling at him for doing so before lightly kissing him on the cheek. They'd been considered mates for several decades now, and their love was still strong. So much for the 'vampires can't feel love' scenario.

"I'm not encouraging him. He can make his own choices." He muttered, trying his best to look discontent. Giving up on the act, he raised his right arm, running his hand through her chocolate colored hair before bringing her low enough to the point where he could kiss her on the lips, good and proper. This made her snicker again as left her spot momentarily, causing Cloud to frown a bit as she moved to Squall's door. She moved aside the one part of the door that slid open… it was for them to see in, not for the captive to see out. She looked confused, turning her head left and right, then up and down, causing Cloud to look in concern as she approached him with a bewildered expression on her face.

"What's wrong, Tifa?"

"He did it, Cloud… he jumped out of the window, and ran off. Just like you told him to." She slapped him lightly on the side of his head with genuine annoyance as she huffed a bit, rushing off to get Rinoa. They all knew that he never wanted to be there… but jumping out of a three story building and living without being a full-fledged vampire was extraordinary. She'd broken at least half the bones in her body when she'd tried that, and it seemed that only Cloud, Lulu, and Auron had been the only ones smart enough not to try. She sighed, rapping on Rinoa's door.

"What do you want, Tifa?" The voice called from inside.

"Um… you're not going to like this, Rin…"

He'd done it… he'd actually made it out. He grasped his wrist, which had been caught by a nail on the way down, but was otherwise relatively uninjured. However, the gash in his wrist was a wide and deep one, running from the thumb area all the way up to the middle of his palm, and exposed quite a bit of muscle as the blood continued to flow. He gritted his teeth against the pain, trying to make his way back to Sora, Kairi, and Quistis. There was no time to heal his wounds; every second that passed called the undead to him with his continuously flowing blood. Squall turned into a desolate alleyway and followed the shortcut; his sense of direction was keen, and he knew every shortcut in the city. Though Esthar was technically not a normal stop on Balamb's agenda, Laguna would insist on boarding the Garden to visit his son if Squall did not meet him first. The last thing he needed was for his father to humiliate him… as such, he was forced to learn the shortcuts not only to evade the crowds, but the possible Balamb students that might have followed. It was just bad for his image for him to go visit his father… perhaps because the president's hair was longer than Selphie's.

By the time he'd gotten to the door, the blood flow had slowed to a trickle as he knocked carefully, between the crosses that held the door shut. When no one answered, he yelled instead, out of anger, pain, annoyance, and frustration. Nothing was going right today, and almost killing himself by falling from so high was bound to make his mood even worse.

"QUISTIS! Open this damn door!" As soon as he banged on the wood a few times, he heard the flurry of boot clicks that he knew signaled her approach, followed by a low, "All right, all right! It's not like you can't open the door yourself…" before the door opened before him. Squall stopped as he saw Quistis, adorned in her SeeD uniform. The black outfit seemed to suit the darkness of the town, but not the woman who wore it.

"Squall! You're back!" Kairi ran up to hug him before being promptly flung back onto the couch by a silver haired boy. Naturally, she didn't understand, staring at the glassy-eyed teenager with confusion in her eyes.

"Stay away from him. He's been tainted." Riku approached the almost-vampire, holding up a stake to his heart…

((I can't wait to put up the next chappie… it's my favorite. Well, thanks to all my readers… and review, too! XD))


	9. Dirty Blood

Ch. 9: Dirty Blood

Squall paused as Riku snarled at him, stake in hand. It was only a sudden remembrance of what he was that caused him to dodge as the stake was driven through the air, watching as Riku's arm muscles flexed in an attempt to change the weapon's course. The boy had extremely good aim, with the piece of sharpened wood flying through the point where his chest had just been, now harmlessly a few feet away. Though Squall was technically a safe distance away, he made sure to keep his guard up, waiting for any possible weakness in the teen's defenses. He cursed himself for leaving his Gunblade behind, and felt extremely vulnerable without it. Riku was aiming to kill him; that was more than reason enough to defend himself against his attack.

Riku growled slightly as he missed, his arm and body flying harmlessly past the vampire. He cursed himself inwardly for underestimating this one's speed, and was somewhat bewildered as to why he wasn't dead or injured yet. Ordinarily, one slip-up in battle meant the end of whoever had made the dire error; mostly this applied to human Knights accidentally miscalculating a blow or misjudging the vampires' speed, as he had done. He smiled at the thought that perhaps this was a new member of their legion, a novice at combat. With the grin still on his face, he charged in yet again, kicking off from the ground with his oversized shoes and holding the stake like he did his old blade. That was where Squall saw the opening he had been looking for.

Squall promptly grabbed the boy by his pale, muscular right arm, which he held the stake in. Startled, Riku gasped as Squall turned, flipping the silver-haired boy over his shoulder, landing the boy on his back gasping on the wooden floor. As he was not yet used to his undead strength, which he had rather conveniently acquired first, he was somewhat surprised to find that, as Riku gasped in exasperation on the floor, his body had made a rather noticeable indent in the wooden boards. The wind knocked out of his unconscious opponent, Squall simply grabbed the stake before throwing it at the wall, watching it embed half of itself into the wood. It didn't wobble, but simply stayed still… unfortunately, because Quistis had been standing around that general area, she gasped and clutched her throat as it landed mere millimeters away from her neck. She watched it stick there, standing in silence for a moment before turning a scowl towards Squall. She knew he meant well, but…

"Stop it, both of you!" Quistis yelled, shaking off the shock as she stormed over to the combatants, leading Squall aside from Riku's body. She felt Riku's pulse, and sighed to see that it was still strong, before examining Squall's neck; she had to see for herself. Her heart filled with dread; she had known their intent, praying and hoping earnestly that she had been wrong, that they needed him alive, or something… just not that…

_No, it's not true… it couldn't be…_ She pushed back his brown strands of hair from his neck and gasped in shock, her eyes growing wide as she saw the dark red stains and telltale piercings that labeled him as one of the undead. She couldn't bring herself to move, simply staring at his wounds. Squall stood, motionless as he felt Quistis's hands on his neck… he felt her pulse race through the pads of her fingertips, felt her warmth against him… Though his skin had not gone cold yet, he could feel the temperature difference between them. It was not that he was dead; he had been out in the cold night air the entire night, and she in the warmth of the room they currently stood in. All that could be heard in were the crackles from the fire, and the pops as the wood sparked and leaped like fireworks in the mantle. One with good enough hearing would also be able to hear Riku's soft, ragged breathing as he lay on the floor, sprawled out on his back while the pain he experienced still showed faintly on his pale face.

"I… I can't believe it… Squall?" Her eyes locked with his, her sapphire eyes pleading with him, her ears longing to hear the denial; that it hadn't happened, that it wasn't true. The last thing she had ever wanted to lose was a member of the Knights; now that he had shown up, he was on the top of her priority list. She never wanted to lose him, let alone like this. She watched, her heart almost tearing in two within her chest as his stormy blue eyes met hers for a brief second before turning away, the pain evident within them. Pain, sorrow, regret, anger… a mess of negative emotions, all concentrated in one gaze; and yet, only two of them were directed at her; pain and regret.

"…It was Rinoa." He said simply, his eyes now devoid of emotion, like placid pools as he turned his head away from her. The last thing he wanted was to have caused her pain, and yet, he seemed to feel the sorrow and pain roll off of her in waves as he felt her body begin to shake. Slightly bewildered, he looked down, only to find her face buried in his black leather jacket. Her body was shaking from light sobs, and he heard the soft cries she emitted as her left hand clutched his jacket, while the right wrapped around his back and waist unconsciously. Squall fidgeted a bit, not knowing just how to deal with a crying woman or the hand that was conveniently placed slightly above his belts as he felt her warmth continue to emanate from her body, warming his chilled flesh.

"That… that _bitch_…" She said, now tightening her grip with both of her arms, only then realizing where her right arm was. With a shocked gasp, she quickly pushed him away, the tears still in her eyes as she looked up at him, her gaze full of hatred for the woman who infected him, and sorrow for the one who stood before her. Her cheeks were flushed, spreading like wildfire across her cheeks as she wiped her eyes, looking up at him. Crying was only an excuse, and had nothing to do with it; she had not cried nearly enough to get her face that red to such a degree. As she thought about why she had blushed, and so violently, she noticed that there was an odd silhouette behind the man she spoke to… Only then did she realize that someone was standing behind Squall, a hand raised with a weapon in hand. With a shocked cry, her expression turned to one of anger. She moved Squall in the only way she could.

She punched him in the face as hard as she could, watching as his head turned and dipped slightly from the force, allowing her to whip the one behind him, snapping the braided weapon against the assailant's wrist. Squall seemed to take the hint at this point, ducking and quickly rolling away, not caring how dirty his outfit might have gotten. She heard the voice of the one she whipped cry out in shock and pain as she proceeded to lash the whip upwards, watching as, sure enough, the dexterous weapon grasped the hilt of the blade, allowing her to jerk it free of the attacker's hand. With a swift turn of her wrist, the blade was in her hands, delivered via the whip as she turned the edge of the blade at the attempted assassin's neck. She motioned towards Squall with a nod of the head, the SeeD leaving for the Infirmary, where Kairi had gone off to tell Sora to open the door for him.

"Riku, I demand that you stop this nonsense." She snapped, the Soul Edge's hilt wrapped in the whip and gripped in her hands as the blade continued to hover perilously close to the teen's throat. His glassy blue eyes glared at her, full of anger and misunderstanding as he spoke, his voice full of barely-contained rage and hatred.

"As do I, Quistis. What are you doing? He's a vampire!" He spat, not caring that the blade's tip was now against his neck. His fists clenched against his sides, slightly shaking from the strength he poured into them. His face was twisting into a snarl as he awaited her reply.

"Squall is one of us, Riku." She said, her eyes cold, chilled with a hint of malice. Knight or not, he wasn't about to get away with staking or decapitating a long-time friend.

"He's a vampire, Quistis! Just like Yuna!"

"He's a Knight, Riku! Just like you!"

"Are you going to let him in to attack us, too! How do you know he hasn't been seeing Rinoa behind our backs, either!" He didn't even see it coming as his face was suddenly thrown violently to one side as her hand connected with the opposite cheek. She wanted so badly to slash his throat, but knew that fury was blinding her judgment in this scenario. Regardless, the blade was still held to his neck, her grip slightly shaky as her fury-filled eyes overflowed with bitter tears that would not and could not be held back.

"No! He couldn't have been! You know nothing! He would never…" She screamed, her voice for once losing its cool against a psychological attack. It was just too much, and Riku could sense it.

"Look at you, Quistis! _You're courting a dead man!_" He yelled, watching as she flinched against his words. He knew he had done it; he had attacked the core of the subject, found the weakness of the cold instructor's heart. He stopped as she lowered the Soul Edge, letting the purple blade drop to the floor as she crumpled soon after it, landing on her knees and putting her weight on her hands in an almost kneeling position. However, considering no one was in front of the direction she was facing, and the fact that her hands were balled into tight fists told that she was not in any way servile, but rather consumed by fury, grief, and suffering.

"No, no, no…" She gasped, her eyes wide open as her head hung down between her arms as she struggled to find answers that so eluded her. Her eyes couldn't focus, nor did she care. Hell, she didn't care if she had gone blind at that very moment. She felt the cold spear that was truth simply slice through her heart, feeling the dread and the heartache course through her body like the deadly toxins they were. It was true, and she knew it. She just didn't want to believe it…

"Quistis…" Riku regretted his words as he saw how devastating they truly were against her, walking over to her and kneeling on the floor beside her. His eyes were filled with regret as he reached over; to hug her, or at least comfort her. He had inflicted the damage; it was up to him to heal the wounds that he had afflicted on one of his fellow Knights.

"Don't touch me." She said coldly, turning away and flinching at his touch. The last thing she had wanted to feel was the touch of the one so heartless as to call her a necrophiliac. Though he hadn't said it outright, he sure as hell implied it with his 'dead man' interjection. She felt his hand move away, and heard his soft sigh as he stayed right where he was. He did not move away, as she had expected him to, instead feeling her hair being pushed away from her face by his hand.

"I… look... I'm sorry. I didn't mean…" He sighed, and stopped trying to explain. He knew she would be deaf to his cries; he knew her well enough to know that. He'd shot his mouth off, and it would cost him dearly, just as his foolish actions in the past had left his heart naught but a darkness-infested shell; though he was still allowed to feel some select few emotions like love or happiness, it amplified others like pain, suffering, and loss.

"Riku… just… leave me alone. I mean it. Leave." She spat, watching triumphantly as she saw him flinch in his spot. He sighed, realizing that he could probably never look her straight in the eye, let alone stay in the same room, after this. He stood up, pushing off the ground with his left hand as he dusted off his knees. Turning away from her, be started to walk out, his feet and the fire making the only noises in the room as he continued on his way to the door. Upon reaching it, he opened the door, listening to it creak slightly against the hinges as he started to leave. Only brief hesitances kept him from walking out at that instant, and make him vow never to see her again. Looking back at her, he spoke one more time before he closed the door behind him.

"Just remember then, Quistis… no matter how much you hate me, I'll always love you." With that, he turned away, closing the door behind him as he felt the small box in his pocket. He pulled it out, looking at the velvet box in his hands. With a sigh of disgust, he made his way to the Infirmary, where he promptly threw into his cabinet. It didn't look like he would have the chance to give it to anyone for a long, long time.


End file.
